These Smoked 3-2-1 ribs are about to blow yo’ mind. They are incredibly juicy, and full of flavor with just a hint of smokiness. I’m drooling just thinking about the deliciousness that will soon be hitting your lips!
I’ve tried a few different ways of smoking ribs since I’ve gotten my Traeger back in March, but I keep going back to the 3-2-1 method. Smoking may seem complicated and intimidating, but I pinky promise you that it is really really easy. For the most part you set it and forget it.
The 3-2-1 method is super simple. 3-2-1 pertains to the hours you will be cooking the ribs; each number you do something different with the ribs for a total of 6 hours smoked.
Here is a quick break down. Details will also be in the recipe card.
- 3: You will smoke your ribs for 3 hours, spritzing with an apple cider vinegar and water mixture every 30 minutes.
- 2: You are going to wrap your ribs tightly in aluminum foil. I like to plop some ghee or butter onto the top of the ribs before wrapping it up. Honey and brown sugar are also popular. Smoke, wrapped, for 2 hours.
- 1: You will unwrap the ribs and brush bbq sauce all over it. Flip every 20 minutes and brush more sauce onto the ribs. Smoke for 1 hour.
Ingredients
- 2 racks of pork spare ribs. Beef ribs and baby back ribs will also work
- Drizzle of yellow mustard
- 3 tbl ghee or butter
- 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce
- 2 tbl smoked paprika
- 1 tbl turmeric
- 1 tbl garlic powder
- 1 tbl oregano
- 1 tbl italian seasoning
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 250 degrees. (I use apple pellets)
- Mix your dry rub seasonings together. Set aside.
- Remove the silver skin from the underside of the ribs by taking a knife and breaking the skin. Grab with a paper towel and pull off.
- Squirt some yellow mustard onto the ribs and rub it in.
- Next sprinkle the seasonings over the ribs and rub them into the meat.
- Place bone side down onto the grill. Close the lid and let smoke for 30-45 minutes. After that you will start spritzing the ribs with a mixture of 1 part apple cider vinegar and 1 part water. Spritz every 30 minutes until 3 hours is up.
- After 3 hours, you will wrap the ribs tightly with aluminum foil. Before sealing the foil, put a few tablespoons of butter or ghee onto the top of the ribs.
- Put ribs back onto grill and let smoke, wrapped in foil, for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, remove foil and brush some bbq sauce over each rack. Close lid and every 20 minutes flip and reapply sauce onto the ribs. Do this for 1 hour
- After that last hour carefully remove ribs and let rest.
- Cut between the bones and enjoy!
If you don’t have a smoker you can do the same thing on a regular grill or even in the oven!
Whole30: yes
Paleo: yes
